It's in the Eyes
by artanimelover
Summary: Kagome is a girl whos easily bored in her regular every-day life. But when her life takes an unexpected turn, giving her a talent with a knack for getting her in trouble leads her away from her goodnatured boyfriend, who's going to be the one to protect?
1. Chapter 1

**It's in the Eyes**

**I Can Read Your Thoughts**

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><p><strong>Honesty<strong>

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><p><em>Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is. Sure, a lie's a lie, but if the truth hurts, then what's the problem of candy coating a situation that would have otherwise been just aweful? People say it all the time; Don't ever lie, it's bad. But then people say; If you've got nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all. So if lieings out, and telling the truth's not an option, are we supposed to just keep quiet?<em>

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><p>Kagome sighed as she stretched out on the living room sofa, pressing the button on the remote to turn the TV off. A whole of five hundred channels, and nothing was on. What good was cable if you didn't get any entertainment out of it? She could have sworn that four hundred and ninety nine of the five hundred channels were advertisements.<p>

When the phone rang, it was a luxery she couldn't aford to miss out on, and she jumped for the reciver. "Hello?"

"Kagome. How are you?"

Oh, thank god. She thought.

"Hojo!" She giggled. "I'm so glad you called. You wouldn't believe how bored I was."

She heard his laugh, and gigled with him. "Your always bored, Kagome."

"Not when I'm entertained."

Kagome had been dating Hojo for nearly a year now, having met him through Tokyo Tutors her freshman year of highschool. It didn't take much to convince her of their copatability, and they're time together was fun, if not as exiting as she would have liked. Still, Hojo wasn't fond of technology, and having him call meant one of two things; He wanted her to help him nurse at the local hospital, or he wanted to go to the movies.

Right on que; "Would you like to volunteer with me? They've run low on staff for the night and the childrens ward is going crazy."

She thought. Bad TV, or the possible future diagnosis of Chicken Pox?

"Sure thing, Hojo." It was a crime really, the things she would to resort to so as not to be bored.

"Perfect, I'll pick you up in ten."

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><p>He was early. Of course he was early, thought Kagome, punctuation was as important to him as it was nonexistant to her. She climed in the passenger seat of his black subaru, leaning across the seat to kiss his cheek.<p>

"Hi, there, Stranger." She told him, pecking another to his jaw.

"Kagome." Hojo breathed, cupping her cheek and planting a kiss to her forehead. He pulled away and shifted gears. "Buckle up."

"Safety first," Kagome muttered, strapping up and strapping in.

"Safety first." Hojo responded, reaching over and gripping her hand. "I'd hate to have you injured on my watch." He winked at her.

"Your such a dork." She giggled. "So we're in the kids ward today?"

"Either that or the psychiactric ward."

"We've never been there." Kagome mused. "At least, not together."

Hojo switched lanes and drove smoothly past a blue bug. "I've volenteered there once or twice." He told her. "Helped sort pills; I couldn't hand them out, though, because I wasn't an authorized nurse. Fortunately they had some bathrooms available to clean."

Kagome rolled her eyes. Hojo was such a _Do-Gooder_. He'd do the most aweful things if it meant helping someone in need. She could distinctly remember on more than one occasion where he'd given CPR to an old man who they'd volenteered for until he died a few months back. She'd watched in absolute horror as he'd stuck his finger down the mans throat to clear the passage way for air. Sure, the man had been on his dieing bed and in dire need of CPR, but Hojo could have shown a bit of remorse for doing it, right? To Kagome, he'd looked _all_ to eager, litteraly shouting, "I'll do it!" When someone asked if there was a doctor near by.

It was a good thing that Kagome was studdying to be a nurse. Had she been any other woman, she would have been completely revolted at the site of her boyfriend open mouthed with an older man.

_CPR_, she reminded herself, _Jii-san was in trouble and Hojo acted accordingly. Kind of what you should have done too. _Besides, she reasoned, it wasn't as if Hojo actually_ enjoyed_ it. Hojo was a man of heterosexuality. And she doubted completely that he'd go for the older generation.

"Kagome?" Hojo's hand tightened around hers, reminding her that she wasn't alone in the car.

"Hmm? Did you say something?" She looked up at him through her eyelashes.

"Uh," Hojo glanced at her, and returned to looking out the front window. "Yeah. I asked if you'd rather go to the psychiactric ward."

"Oh, sure." Kagome shot him a smile. So completely and utterly helpful was her boyfriend, that she felt guilty at questioning his sexuality. "That sounds great, Hojo!"

Unfortunately, even though she was studdying to be a nurse, she'd fully expected her nursing to be in the hospital catagory. As in; sick people. Not mentally premature people. So the thought of spending a few hours trapped in a room with people who will most likely be staring at her with blank confusion and pill-numbed humor slightly chilled her to the bone.

Oh well, she thought, at least it'll be inturesting.

Roots and Grips Psychiactric Ward was a lonesom place, and Kagome couldn't help but notice the near half hour distance between it and any other human hang out. Hojo made a few calls, pulled a few strings, and got them out of the childrens ward just as they pulled into the deserted parking lot.

"Where are all the families?" Kagome muttered, scanning the total of three cars that held no company.

"Huh?" Hojo looked at her, "What do you mean?"

"Well, shouldn't there be more people here? Visitors and such?" She checked the clock on the radio. Two twenty nine. Not nearly late enough for visiting hour to be over.

"This place is only for the lightly severe mentally instable, Kagome." Hojo told her, as if it explaned everything.

"Lightly severe?" was that as scary as it sounded?

With a sigh, Hojo unbuckled and stepped out of the car, waiting as Kagome hurried to do the same. "People not near severe enough to need state psychotherapy, but to severe for most sevillian contact. Extreem Paranoia, Psychophobias, Depressive Anxiety. People who have tried to kill themselves or an animal due to mental instability, exetera, exetera."

"So, wait," Processing, processing. Somehow Kagome found she didn't like where this was leading. She gripped her boyfriends hand in her own. "We're going to help the suicidaly paranoid?"

"Something like that." Hojo told her, pushing open the glass door and ushering her inside. "You should relax, though, Kagome, places like these, they smell fear." He looked into her eyes and smiled in a way that told her he loved her squemishness.

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><p><em><strong>my gosh she can be such a baby<strong>_

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><p>She blushed at the thought. She really needed to get her head strait. "Your right. I'm sorry. All better." Kagome leaned up and kissed his cheek<p>

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><p><em><strong>does she always have to be so touchy feely<strong>_

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><p>and broke they're eye contact. Man, she was being a real self-downer today. Shaking her head, she brushed the thoughts away and nodded for Hojo to lead the way, which he did happily.<p>

They reached the front desk, and Hojo winked at the woman behind it. "Akitoki Hojo, but you already know that, right, Kagura?"

"Right." The woman, Kagura, rolled her eyes. She was a tall, petite woman with brown hair and eyes that looked nearly red. Red lipstick, and blue liner brought out the pale skin and long lashes. She was beautiful. And she couldn't possibly be much older than twenty. "You know the way, Hojo, but first," Her eyes locked on Kagome's

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><p><em><strong>fresh meat<strong>_

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><p>and Kagome shuttered at the blood lust that nearly coated the room in an instant. Hojo snapped her out of her reverie.<p>

"This is Kagome, she's training to be a nurse. I thought a trip around the facility might do some good."

Kagura made a sound somewhere between a hnn and a harumph and gestured toward the door.

"You knew her?" Kagome accused, laughing.

"Only slightly." Hojo muttered, a blush coating his cheeks.

"You two seemed well enough aquainted."

"I guess." He shrugged it off, guiding her down the hallway and around the corner, "This is the Medicinal wing." He told her. "Where they count and distriibute the proper pills to over a hundred different patients every hour."

Kagome looked around, her eyes widening as she found old men and women in robes, each with a white plastic cup, some with two. One or two patients were in wheel chairs facing the windows, and a few were shaking with some kind of spasm. The room alltogether was fairly big, white walls, tan carpets, plastic chairs, and a rainbow of colorful butterflies strone across the wall farthist away from where they walked. That wall held two large, arched plastic windows, housing two stoic nurses who seemed to be handing out the plastic cups.

She turned, had to jog to catch up to Hojo, who was just turning another corner. A little farther down this hall, Hojo took the third left, and down another hall before he spoke agian. "This is the Psychotheroputic Wing, but the nurses call it a counseling center." Hojo glanced at Kagome out the corner of his eye. "This is where all the patients go to get check ups."

"You mean, like, cat scans and stuff, right?" She didn't look at him, and instead read the titles hanging above the doors. _Group Theropy_, _Mono Theropy_, _Psycho Theropy_, _Religous Theropy_, _Group Counseling_, _One-on-One_, _Staff Only_. Was there a difference between Group Theropy and Group Counseling?

"No," Hojo laughed, "I mean as in talking to profecional theropists about their problems."

"Oh."

Hojo turned another corner, led her down the hall, took a right, stumbled left, and then into a corider lined with what looked like appartment doors. "This is the rooming for the more stable patients." He looked at her

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><p><em><strong>doubt shed have been able to guess<strong>_

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><p>and then back down the hall. "The more tramatic patients are back the other way. They've got rooms decorated in everything padded, from the souls of their shoes, the the walls of their rooms."<p>

"That rhymed." Kagome mumbled, forcing a laugh. There was something about that last thought that put her on edge. Like she was insulting herself. Though it didn't sound even remotely close to what she'd actually say. She shook her head. "Which wing are we going to be volenteering for anyway?"

"We, Kagome, are going to the visiting rooms." Hojo grinned at her

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><p><em><strong>chose the only thing shed have a chance at doing successfully<strong>_

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><p>and Kagome looked away, toward an old lady standing beside a wall on the opposite side of their next turn. They locked eyes<p>

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><p><em><strong>this isnt right im twenty six not eighty this isnt right<strong>_

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><p>and Kagome shuttered at the panicy feeling that all of a sudden engulfed her. No, no, where had her youth gone? Where was her fiance? Why was she here? This isn't right, not right.<p>

"Kagome?"

Her eyes snapped back to Hojo's and the feeling disapeared, replaced by anxious disreguard

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><p><em><strong>should i be worried that she looks more spaced than usual<strong>_

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><p>"Hojo?" Kagome squeaked. " I look spaced?"<p>

Hojo looked stricken as he looked at her

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><p><em><strong>did i say that out loud<strong>_

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><p>before he shook his head. "Lets go. Visiting is just down this hall."<p>

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><p><strong>This Artanimelover production is brought to you by Rumiko Takahashi's Inuyasha and Milenda Metz Fingerprints series. Thank y'all for reading.<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**It's in the Eyes**

**I Can't Do This**

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><p><strong>Wishes<strong>

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><p><em>I wish I could understand the meaning behind a wish. Why wish for something you can't have? Why want for something so far out of reach? And if you want something so bad, what would you give to make that wish come true? Money? Time? A life? <em>

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><p>Two hours in to visiting and Kagome was all but convinced that something was up. Hojo kept glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, like he was scared she'd irriparably mess something up, and whenever they're eyes met she'd get one of those thoughts thoughts like: <em>what does she think shes doing<em>, and, _no kagome stupid kagome what are you thinking_. It was really starting to get to her because it wasn't just Hojo's eyes that were doing it, and after two hours of only geting the self demeaning thoughts from looking at other people, Kagome was sure it was the eyes that were the cause.

She locked eyes with the only patient who's had a visitor all night

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><p><em><strong>poor thing dont even realize the trouble<strong>_

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><p>and imediately turned away. The things this place was making her think! It was crazy. She looked up and caught Hojo's eyes<p>

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><p><em><strong>if i dont watch her shell screw something up<strong>_

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><p>and growled<p>

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><p><em><strong>she always does<strong>_

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><p>before turning away.<p>

And that sick thought that she'd gotten from nearly every nurse she'd made eye contact with, that, _Fresh Meat_, enphasis on the fresh part, slithering out like a snake on the meat. It made her think of back when she was first entering highschool, when she'd been eyed like candy by the seniors. _Fresh Meat_.

"Great," She mumbled, smiling at the patients younger brother

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><p><em><strong>this place gives me the creeps<strong>_

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><p>"I've gone from being meat to being candy." She sent another smile to the brother<p>

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><p><em><strong>hot<strong>_

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><p>before making her way to Hojo.<p>

Hojo kept a foot of distance, ever the buisness man, "Question, Kagome?"

"Yeah," She sighed, "Whens our shift over?"

Hojo turned to her and this time, his eyes shadowed with concern

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><p><em><strong>you have got to be kidding me<strong>_

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><p>that tasted like agrivated bile in the back of her throat. "What's wrong, Kagome? Are you feeling okay?"<p>

"No, Hojo," Kagome snapped, "I'm just feeling a little off right now."

"Alright, Kagome," Hojo soothed, reaching foreward and patting her shoulder, "Alright. We're almost done, just another half hour."

Kagome frowned, looking at her hands. Really, what was she doing? Hojo was super-nice, a real go-getter, a good guy. He was, as her friends were a constant reminder of, a _keeper_. So what was she doing being snappish at him? "Sorry, it's just-" She looked at him from under a veil of lashes, "I'm tired."

She saw Hojo's eyes soften

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><p><em><strong>really shes adorable<strong>_

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><p>and his hand moved to pat the back of her head. "I know, Kagome, it's fine. It'll be over in another half hour. Can you make it that long?"<p>

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><p><em><strong>maybe i should take her home and come back <strong>_

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><p>Come back? O-oh no. She did not want him to come back and be alone with that Kagura. Somehow she got the worst fresh-meat feeling from her. Kagome shook her head. No, these were not real thoughts. She was under quite a bit of stress, and her head hurt. That was all that it was. A good nap would take care of both of those.<p>

"No, no, Hojo. Don't worry, I can make it." She smiled up at him

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><p><em><strong>gosh i love her<strong>_

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><p>and turned to walk back around. "I'll be fine."<p>

When she returned to the patient, it was with a frown and a head ache.

"Miss?"

Kagome blew out a quick sigh, plastered on a smile and faced the woman who claimed to be the mother of the man she knew only as Patient.

"Yes?"

The woman looked releaved, but her eyes shadowed worry

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><p><strong>read the signs please save my son please <strong>

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><p>as she reached a tentative hand to touch Kagome's arm. "My son, Miss, what medications do they have him on? He-" She huffed out a shaky breath- "Last time I was here, he and I were having full scale conversations, and now," She couldn't finish, but the hand touching Kagome became a vice grip around her arm, "He can't even talk at all!" Her eyes returned to Kagome<p>

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><p><strong>not right not right ive got to get him out out out <strong>

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><p>with a plead she couldn't comprehend.<p>

Kagome swallowed. "I'm sorry, Ma'am." She whispered, "I-I'm just a voluntere. I wouldn't-" She shook her head, "I'm sorry."

The woman sighed and moved back to Kagome's patient, her lips trembling as she sat in the chair beside him. "Miroku," She mumbled, "Miroku, baby, can you hear me?"

Kagome took a moment to examine the patient for the first time, finally tuning in to those around her. He was tall, or he would have been, had he not been plastered to the wheelchair, maybe five-nine, six feet? With brown hair pulled back into a tight pony-tail at the nape of his neck, he looked to Kagome as if he belonged in a different era all together. He wore the standard pale blue hospital robe, covering his torso and legs down to his matching slipper claid feet. From where Kagome stood behind him, she could see his right hand, resting lightly on the arm rest of the chair, blanketed in gauze, running from his fingertips into the sleeves of his robe.

A frown adorning her features, Kagome stepped around the brother, and slowly trailed behind the mother, until his features came into view. The curve of his jaw rounded to pale, thin lips, and a narrow nose. His thick eyebrows pulled down over the rims of his closed eyelids in an expression masked with serious concern. And then he opened his eyes, and Kagome gasped as the violet orbes were revealed and he stared back at her.

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><p><strong>help me<strong>

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><p>The thought sounded so real that Kagome looked around to find it's source. That definately didn't sound like her, Kagome's paniky mind raced, in fact, the thought seemed to match- Her eyes strayed to his again<p>

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><p><strong>help me<strong>

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><p>and her head cocked to the side in confusion. It couldn't be coming <em>from<em> him, could it? No, no, definately not. The thoughts she'd been having all day- those were just her minds way of releaving stress. Nothing more nothing less. But then-

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><p><strong>help me<strong>

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><p>Even-Even if it <em>was<em> coming from him, what on earth could he want help with? Tentatively, Kagome kneeled in front of Miroku, and his mother stratened at his side, "W-what are you doing?"

Kagome glanced at the mom before turning back to Miroku, "Sir?" She tested, his eyes widened in responce, "Sir, if you can hear me, please blink." He blinked.

With a sigh of relief, Kagome sat back on her haunches. "Alright, sir-"

A tap on her shoulders turned her attention to his brother

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><p><strong>she has to use his name<strong>

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><p>"Miroku." He told her, "His name's Miroku."<p>

Kagome nodded. "Alright." She turned back to the patient, "Miroku, then." Another sigh, a pause, two breaths and a heart beat before, "Miroku, could I please ask you a few questions?"

Miroku gave her an odd look

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><p><strong>cant speak cant answer<strong>

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><p>like he thought she was missing something vitaly obvious.<p>

"Let me amend that," She paused, smiled, "I'll ask you only yes or no questions, kay? One blink for yes, two for no. That alright?"

Miroku blinked.

"Alright," She made a sound similar to a hum, "The first ones weird. Is that alright?"

A blink.

Kagome looked into his eyes with a seriousness that was unlike her, and her heart thudded in her chest. "Would you like me to help you with something?"

Miroku's head moved, straitened from it's tilted, lazy angle, his eyes widened, and his mouth opened like he wanted to say something. She let him struggle with his tounge for a moment, and in the end, he gave up and blinked. Just once.

Her own exprecion surprized, Kagome tapped her head with a finger. Don't get your hopes up, girl, she told herself, stress thoughts are one things, talking to people through their heads a completely different angle.

"What would you like me to help with?"

Miroku raised an eyebrow. Cool. She wished she could do that.

"Sorry," She huffed out a humorless laugh. "Is this thing you need help with important?"

A blink.

"Is it dangerous?"

Blink.

"Does it have to do with your condition?"

Blink.

"This hospital?"

Blink.

"Is it-" Kagome was interupted this time by a hand on her head, and when she looked up, it was to see Hojo glaring at her

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><p><strong>i knew shed screw up<strong>

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><p>with his mouth set in a firm line. "Kagome, didn't they say no fraternizing with the patients? This rule is very important and set up for a reason. Don't you know how dangerous crazy people can be?"<p>

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><p><strong>(AN) I really hope I'm writing this right. I'm not pushing Hojo into the bad-guy persona, guys, so don't worry. He will stay in charictore as much as possible and still resonate within the foundations of It's in the Eyes. For those of you who are confused by the thoughts, I thought I'd explain. Not every thought you have is going to match what you do. In Hojo's case, he's acting the part of the sweet-lovable boyfriend, which, of course, he IS sweet and lovable. To a point. But Hojo is to concerned with thinking that Kagome is incompetant and can't do anything right. Once we get more into the story, I'll delve a little deeper into his past to show you his reasons. So just remember, if I write in a thought that really just does NOT match what's happening in the story, there is a reason, and I'll explain it all in the end. :D**

**Alright, to hit another topic in a review; "I'm assuming the random bold words are thoughts and that sometime during the story Kagome began to hear them." **

**You are very right. The bold parts are thoughts, and at a seemingly random point in time, Kagome started hearing them. But if you re-read that first chapter, you'll understand. Kagome hears your thoughts when she looks into your eyes. Until I wrote in the first eye contact she'd had with Hojo in the first chapter, Kagome hadn't heard thoughts that didn't belong to herself. And now that she's in EVERYBODIES head, it's kinda giving her a little trouble. Give it a couple more chapters, and I'll explain exactly WHAT gave her the power to read thoughts that way on that RANDOM day. Because, in a story, absolutely NOTHING is random. **

**:D thank y'all for your reviews and this story is brought to you by Rumiko Takahashi's Inuyasha and Melinda Metz's Fingerprints series. **


	3. Chapter 3

**It's in the Eye's**

**I'm Not Incapable**

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><p><strong>Emotions<strong>

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><p><em>Emotions are a difficult thing to posess. When everyone's feeling different things at the same time, nobody knows how to react to anything, especially when your bodies are clouded by this multitude of feelings; anger, joy, lust, sorrow, how do you know what to feel and when to feel it? Who's to say that you can't be happy just because others are sad? Why can't you be angry just because others are feeling joy? Are we destined to be at each other's throats forever; feining likeness, when really we just want everyone who doesn't think like us to bow down and submit to our will?<em>

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><p>"Well he didn't seem all that dangerous to me." Kagome pouted, crossing her arms and glaring out the window. "He seemed perfectly harmless; albeit a little mysterious with his condition, but like any other guy."<p>

She could almost hear Hojo rolling his eyes. "Things arn't always as they appear, Kagome. Patients in a mental ward are there for a reason; ever think of that?"

"Of course!" Kagome growled, turning to face Hojo, who refused to take his gaze off the road. "But that doesn't change the fact that they're human beings; just like us! It's wrong to cut them off from human contact like that; dispicable, really!"

Glaring at him seemed to do no good, so with a huff, the teenager faced the window again.

She heard Hojo sigh. "Kagome, your still not getting it. The people in that psychiactric ward are there because they've hurt themselves or someone else."

That gave her pause. Hojo had seemed so endearing, and she had a fealing he'd have been real smart if he could talk. He hadn't seemed at all like someone capable of hurting her.

"I don't care." She muttered.

Another masculine sigh and a repremanding tone, "We've got another shift tomorrow, Kagome, and you will not talk to the patients again."

Kagome's back went stiff. Was he seriously? Did he honestly think he could? She turned to face him. "Hojo, pull over."

"What?" He glanced at her

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><p><strong>whats she going on about now silly girl<strong>

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><p>and her body filled with shocked bemusement at the eye contact.<p>

"I said," She monotoned, "Pull over."

A glance out the window told her that they were three blocks from her house.

"Kagome, you must be joking, we're almost there."

"No! I said to pull over!"

"Kagome!" Hojo's gaze whipped to hers,

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><p><strong>what the hecks going on<strong>

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><p>filling her mind with astonished concern. "Kagome, it's Alright-"<p>

"No! It's not alright! Just pull the car over, Hojo! Pull it over now!"

"Alright!" Hojo yelled, "Alright, fine!" He carefully parked the car on the curb of the sidewalk and Kagome jumped out of the car and slammed the door. Hojo made a sound between a sound of alarm and jumped out after her.

"Kagome, where are you-"

Kagome turned around and glared at him

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><p><strong>was she always so scary<strong>

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><p>sending a visible shiver through his torso. "You do <em>not<em> get to tell me what to do, do you hear me?" He nodded. "I am not your property to use and dispose of as you wish. I am my own woman, you got that? I decide what I do. I decide what I don't do. You have absolutely no power over me."

Hojo took a step back and met her eyes

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><p><strong>shes like a kitten frightened into attack<strong>

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><p>"Alright, Kagome." He told her. "Alright. I've got no power and you decide."<p>

Kagome nodded, making a sound of satisfaction and started walking again.

"Kagome, where are you going?"

"If you think I'm getting back in that car with you any time today, you are sadly mistaken, bub." Kagome muttered. To him, she called back, "Let me know what time our shift starts tomorrow!"

The next day, Kagome and Hojo were split up, much to Hojo's fury. He was put back in the visitations wing, whilst Kagome was led to the _Group Theropy_ room by Kagura, who looked back at Kagome more than once with something kin to blood lust, that _**fresh meat**_, thought hanging in the air like a cloak.

Kagura stopped infront of the pale green door marked for the theropy, and tapped the title plate with a long red nail. "In here, girl, your to do as told. Respect Dr. Byakuya because he knows what he's doing, and you, girl, don't."

Kagome blushed under the older girls gaze, "I'll be on my best behavior, I swear."

Kagura scoffed, but opened the door and stuck her head in, "Dr, your newest is here." She gave Kagome one last once over

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><p><strong>fresh meat<strong>

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><p>before dragging the door open all the way and pushing Kagome in. "Have fun."<p>

Kagome stumbled and braced a hand on the wall to look around. The walls were an off white, like they had been cleaned one to many times. A dark wooden desk sat in the far corner of the room, impecibly clean with a placert that said, "We are all friends, here." in bold letters. A grand piano of simmilar color sat in the oposite corner, closest to the wall, looking for all the world like a speck of dust wouldn't dare land on something so magnificent. The floors were a deep blue carpet, on which sat five plastic chairs, a happy-go-lucky smiley face on the back of each, in a circle. The head of the circle was a black leather computer chair with a yellow smiley face stitched into the right top corner.

In the chair sat who Kagome supposed was Dr. Byakuya himself. He was a tall, skinny man, with long black hair tied into a plait down his back, happy, cat-eyed glasses perched on the rim of his narrow nose as he gazed at Kagome with a sweet smile.

"Kagome, I presume?"

She nodded tentatively.

"Great!" Byakuya stretched his arms out wid. "We've been waiting for you, common, friends, introduce yourselves!"

Kagome fallowed the trail of people around the chairs. Four people; five chairs. The first chair was occupied by a woman around Kagome's age, long brown hair pulled to the top of her head in a tight poney tail, her face set in a determined, albeit kind smile as she looked on Kagome. She raised her hand. "I'm Sango. Nice to meet you."

Next to her sat a short boy with a bob of red hair, tied in a bun by a poofy pink ribbon. His green eyes smiled up at her mischieviously from his face still dimpled with baby fat. "I'm Shippou!"

On the other side of the circle there sat a tall boy, around her age, hunched over at the shoulders. He seemed to be slightly overweight and turning a pale green with illness. "J-Jininji."

Beside him sat what seemed to her to be a ruffien. Long black hair wove to the middle of his back, and a growl caught short from his lips. Hazel eyes looked bored as they gave her a passing glance. He grunted, "Inuyasha."

Kagome frowned at his demeaner, but waved politely to the room. "Hi, I'm Kagome."

Byakuya's grin stretched across his slim face. "Great! And she's even polite!" He looked her in the eye

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><p><strong>simply incandestant in her purity<strong>

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><p>and Kagome was filled with maniac joy. The way the thought came to her, it made her think of a man, hunched over and petting a gem whispering, "My precious, my precious." Plastering on a furious smile, Kagome nodded at him.<p>

"Why don't you take your seat between Inuyasha and Shippou, here, ne?"

A little hesitantly, Kagome gave another nodd and sat. The chair was uncomfortable and stiff and Kagome thought about how ironic it would be if her highschool and this insane assylum used the same chair employer.

Byakuya seemed to take great satisfaction in the sitting arangement, tilting his head back and breathing in deeply though his nose, almost as if he were sniffing a flower before snapping his head back into place and grinning at Sango. "We were just telling eachother about our week. Why don't you begin again, Sango, so that Kagome can here it all?"

Sango's brow twitched with what Kagome could only assume was irritation. Had she had to tell it multiple times already? "Monday I was given a new robe," She rolled her eyes, "One that looked exactly like the other five I'd been given. Tuesday I was allowed a walk in the gardens, Wednesday they changed my medication to something with a long name." She paused. "Oh, well. Thursday I was groped by a mute, and Friday I'm here."

"Very well, Sango." Byakuya seemed satisfied with her answer. He turned to Kagome. "Do you know why these kids are here, Kagome?" His mouth quivered, like he was having a hard time not smiling. "Do you want to know?"

Kagome glanced around at all of the frowning faces. "No, no." She quickly dispersed. "It's fine. I don't need to know."

"Oh, but you do, Kagome!" Byakuya looked into her eyes with a maniac gleam

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><p><strong>freash meat pure beautiful one of a kind fresh meat<strong>

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><p>and Kagome shuddered. "Sango here, she's got what you would call homisidal tendancies. She was found pushing a boomarang through a mans heart for what she considered harrassment." His smile broke loose, just barely, "He'd actually only touched her shoulder to ask her a question."<p>

Kagome gulped, more affraid of Byakuya than his story. "I-is that so?"

"Oh, yes, I'm afraid." Byakuya laughed, standing from his chair and walking around the shorter, plastic ones to stand behind Shippou, putting his hands on the now quivering boys shoulders. "Shippou's the same, only he's part pyro." Byakuya tsk-ed. "Set two men on fire and claimed they killed his parents when the cops came." He grinned at Kagome. "One was a bank teller from another city visiting his sick uncle for the weekend. The other was a weather photographer; in town to record the latesst lightning storm for a few hours."

"H-huh." Kagome gasped out, forcing herself to hold still so she didn't flinch when he walked behind her to Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha, my boy, do you want to tell her how you stuck your hand through your girlfriends shoulder for cheating on you, or should I?" The doctor's eyes laughed.

He walked to Jininji. "Jininji, here, moed his mother down in her herb gardens one day for absolutely no reason at all."

Kagome stood from her chair feeling like she'd scream if she sat still any longer. "Why are you telling me this?" She whispered.

"Because, my girl, you've got to realize," Dr. Byakuya's hand patted her head, like her father had done once before. "Insane people are insane for a reason."

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><p><strong>(AN) Inuyasha finally makes his apearence as a dark haired scoundral. ^_^ Thank y'all so much. I'm glad you like my story thus far. I'll ask you guys not to misjudge Hojo too quickely, as his reason's will be explained. :D Once again, this story is brought to you by Rumiko Takahashi's Inuyasha, and Melinda Metz's Fingerprints series. If you haven't read either, I highly recomend them both. ^-^**


	4. Chapter 4

**It's in the Eye's**

**I Don't Hallucinate**

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><p><strong>Cry<strong>

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><p><em>They say that actions speak louder than words. Why then, when someone commits an act that's so painstakenly obvious to be a cry for help, is it ignored? A child who's hurt so bad inside that she can barely breath, let alone stop crying long enough to speak about the issue will carve her pain into her skin, and people will walk past as if it's the most normal thing in the world.<em>

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><p>Kagome sat quickely in her chair, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. So that's what this was about. She'd made conversation with a mute who wasn't sane of mind and now Dr. Byakuya was punishing her for it.<p>

"You see, Kagome?" Kagome opened her eyes to see the man smiling down at her. He looked nothing short of sadistic himself. "You see now, girl, how they can't be helped?"

A quick look around told the girl that noone was looking at her. Inuyasha and Jininji had they're gazes strained to the floor, whilst Sango glared at the doctore, and Shippou cried. Kagome shook her head. What kind of hospital was this? "No, I can't believe that."

"Excuse me?"

Kagome looked him strait in the eye

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><p><strong>does this ningen dare contradict me the great the powerful me<strong>

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><p>and, pushing down the fear that was triggered by a very ego-fuled thought, she squared her shoulders and plundered on. "I mean no disrespect, doctor, but I seriously can't believe that."<p>

She heard an intake of breath and looked to see the people around her stairing at her. Inuyasha seemed wide-eyed, and Jininji tried smiling, but it was weak and wavy and he looked as cry ready as Shippou. She looked back at Byakuya. "I've always beleaved that everyone deserves a second chance; and that noone should be forsaken. Just because they've done something wrong in the past doesn't mean that they're totally without hope." She grimanced. "Though it was some pretty grousom stories."

She heard a laugh, small and inaudible, coming from the doctor and looked up to see him

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><p><strong>oh what fun this is what fun what fun<strong>

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><p>nearly doubled over as his laughter turned from inaudible to loud and continuous, reminding her much ov the evil cackle that came from the monsters in the movies.<p>

Byakuya straitened, giggled, tried to school his features, and then giggled again. "Oh, Kagome, Kagome, Kagome! What lovely, _neive_, Kagome! Oh my, my my!" He wiped what seemed to be a tear from his eye and grinned. "You, my child, will learn much from being here! Please, do take your seat so we can hear what Shippou, my boy, did this week."

Kagome frowned and quietly scooted back into the seat she had vacated in her stress as the doctor walked away from her, muttering her name over and over in amusement.

Byakuya turned on Shippou then, and the child jumped when he talked, "Shippou, boy, why don't you give us your week too?"

Shippou nodded, sitting up and wiping a few stray tears. "I- I," He took a deep breath. "Monday I sat in my room and drew stuff, Tuesday I did the same." His lower lip quivered. "Wednesday I was hanging out with Inuyasha some, but the idiot got annoying so I went and drew some more. Thursday they let me call Mr. Man for a bit, but Mr. Man had to go to work..."

The doctor nodded. "Poor, lonely Shippou." Then he turned to Inuyasha. "Come on, Dog, your turn."

The boy called Dog growled at Byakuya. "I haven't shared anything with you people in the eight weeks I've been here before, what makes ya think I'd start now?" He grunted. "Idiot."

Byakuya seemed to be annoyed. His eyelids drooped low over his eyes as he glared at Inuyasha. "Fine, then. But you _will_ eventually share with us, Dog."

He turned to Jininji. "Your turn, sweety," He cajooled.

Jininji sighed, his large eyes filling with tears. "I was put into Isolation for three days."

"Oh you poor thing!" Byakuya turned to Kagome. "Dear, do you know what Isolation is?" She shook her head. "People go into Isolation one of two reasons; They are a threat to themselves or someone else, or they've done something very wrong." He turned back to Jininji. "Which was yours, boy?"

"T-The first. I dropped the fork at breakfast, and it fell on my arm."

"Did you bleed?"

"I did."

Byakuya shook his head, and then pursed his lips, turning back to Kagome. "Dear, why don't _you_ share with us?"

Kagome's eyes grew wide. "What?" She stuttered. "B-But I'm not-" Not what? She couldn't very well say she wasn't a patient, not in front of actual patients. She wasn't a profetional, but she was sure that was against some code of Manners somewhere.

Byakuya smiled at her

* * *

><p><strong>silly innocent little thing<strong>

* * *

><p>and his eyes were reasuring in a way that totally contrasted that last thought. She felt anger, aggression, and a malicious glee, all of them directed at her, from somewhere <em>outside<em> of her. She was sure. Her thoughts were interupted as Byakuya spoke. "Oh, pretty please, Kagome-Dear? I'm sure it would make Inu here feel so much more open with confiding in us if you did too."

Inuyasha grunted. "Don't bother."

Kagome hesitated, and then sighed, knowing she'd comply eventually, so why try and fight it? "Monday," She paused, why did Monday seem so far away? "Monday I worked with Hojo in the Childrens Health Clinic and-"

Byakuya smiled. "Was that fun, Dear?"

"Sure." Kagome smiled. "Theres a little girl there- Rin. She's so incredibly sweet, and completely intoxicated with flowers." Her eyes softened. "Her Pappa, Sesshomaru, came by every day I was there with a new bundle for the girl."

She heard an intake of breath from the seat next to her and looked over to see Inuyasha's

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><p><strong>she knows fluffy knows rin <strong>

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><p>startled eyes meet hers. "Y-You know Rin and Sesshomaru?"<p>

Kagome's brow furrowed. "Sure. I was requested as Rins primary volunteer nurse."

Byakuya drew her attention from Inuyasha. "And what about Tuesday, Dear?"

Her eyes widened, and then she grinned and snapped her fingers. "Tuesday and Wednesday, because it's spring vacation at school, I helped Mamma give Shrine tours."

Shippou and Sango looked over at her. Sango questioned, "Your mom works at a Shrine?"

Kagome grinned and leaned towards the girl conspiratively. Sango and Shippou leaned forewards as if she were about to share some sort of evolutionary secret. "My mama not only _works_ on a Shrine," she paused. "We _own_ the Shrine."

Shippou's eyes got large as he stared at her

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><p><strong>seriously no way so cool so cool<strong>

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><p>in awe. "No way! You own a Shrine?"<p>

Kagome paused. "Well, saying I owned it is kinda an exageration. _Technicaly, _the Kamis own the Shrine. We just pay mortgage and keep it all clean."

Sango shook her head. "You are all sorts of interesting, girl."

Kagome smiled. "You know, I could say the same about you."

Byakuya interupted with warm eyes

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><p><strong>shell be joining them soon interesting people should be surrounded by interesting people<strong>

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><p>"What of yesterday, Dear?"<p>

Kagome frowned. "Well, Yesterday was my first time volunteering here." She paused at Inuyasha's snort.

"Of all the places to volunteer, you choose here? Idiot."

Ignoring him, she drove on. "It didn't turn out so well. I wasn't paying attention to all of the rules that come with volunteering and apperiently broke a major one and-"

Byakuya growled. "Stop!" Shocked, Kagome looked up and the doctor schooled his feartures. "This session is over today. We'll continue this on Sunday. Kagome, will you be joining us?"

She paused and, a little uncirtainly, "It depends on where they put me."

"Then I'll be sure to request you, _darling_."


End file.
